Direct action against the owners now. Take Part!

[redkenny]

We're all angry by the recent news of our disgraceful owners taking the piss out of our great club. There's bound to be worse figures that we don't know about. Personally I dread to think what will happen if these owners - who have proved on too many occasions that they're not fit and proper owners - get refinanced in July.

I will be writing to the RBS and my local Member of Parliament. I urge fellow reds to do the same.

Use this thread for information and post in here when you have written to the RBS and your MP. All the details you need to know are below:

http://www.spiritofshankly.com/news/RBS-and-MPs-_-No-to-Refinancing.html

DIRECT ACTION NOW!!

HICKS AND GILLETT OUT NOW!!

NO TO REFINANCE!!

Spirit of Shankly today launches direct action against Royal Bank of Scotland and seeks the support of all members and fans in a campaign to force RBS to refuse to refinance the loans taken out by our current owners. We have all seen yesterday's news, which while making us all angry, is not all that surprising. We have said time and time again, that the level of debt is unsustainable, and lo and behold, the Club’s auditors have said:

    These conditions, along with other matters explained in note 1 to the financial statements, indicate the existence of a material uncertainty which may cast significant doubt on the Group's and parent company's ability to continue as a going concern. The financial statements do not include the adjustments that would result if the Group and parent company were unable to continue as a going concern.

Tom Hicks and George Gillett are not 'fit and proper' owners of our club. They never have been and never will be. The problem we face is that RBS deem them to be. RBS need to be made aware, again, that we don't want Hicks and Gillett anymore, and we don't want RBS to re-finance the loans and increasing our Club’s debt. The time for action is NOW.

We are asking all fans to write to RBS making clear our opposition to the refinancing and demanding information from RBS as to their current and future intentions relating to their support of the current owners.

Your letter needs to be posted to:

Richard Holliday
Royal Bank of Scotland
135 Bishopsgate
London
EC2M 3UR

Or an email sent to him at:  richard.holliday@rbs.com

We are asking for you to do both – we expect the volume of email traffic will be such that RBS will take immediate action to block and filter so please post a letter and be imaginative but polite with the subject heading of any email – “LFC” or “Liverpool” are quite likely to be filtered out pretty quickly.

We are also asking all members and fans to write to their own Members of Parliament drawing their attention to the fact that as tax payers we are effective majority shareholders within RBS and as such demand that our voices are heard  and that our wishes are heeded and acted upon. Not only are we as supporters of LFC paying the loan repayments for Hicks and Gillett, but as taxpayers who have a controlling stake in RBS, we are paying for the loans that have placed the Club’s existence in jeopardy. Encourage them to raise the issue in Parliament. It's our money and we don't want it going to them.

We have drafted letters for use below (or by all means compose your own using moderate and restrained language) to go to the Account Manager at RBS dealing with the re-finance and to your local MP (if you’re not sure of who is your MP then search at http://findyourmp.parliament.uk/)

We have a small window of opportunity now as the refinancing date approaches so please send your letter as soon as possible  - please pass on details of this site and page to anyone you know who supports our aims urging them to write as well.

Sprit of Shankly will be launching press releases in all media outlets to highlight this campaign and seeking support across the LFC Supporter’s forums – spread the word!!

 
Template for the RBS Letter - click here.

Template for the letter to your MP - click here.

(Make sure you save these documents to your PC in order to edit them. Some web browsers will interpret them as "Read Only" if you choose "Open")

We are keen to track how many letters and emails are sent to RBS - if you take part in our campaign please email directaction@spiritofshankly.com confirming whether you have sent an email, letter or both and confirming if you are a member or non-member. This will allow us to gauge the success or otherwise of the campaign.

Spirit of Shankly

[ayrton77]

I have sent a paraphrased version of the SOS letter to RBS, as I am not a member of the group myself.

I basically edited out the part saying I was an SOS member, addressing them as a concerned fan instead.

I hope everyone will do the same, one way or another, so that the message will be sent to RBS that we are very concerned about the current state of affairs, and that we will be watching closely whatever decision they make.

[redkenny]

I have sent a paraphrased version of the SOS letter to RBS, as I am not a member of the group myself.

I basically edited out the part saying I was an SOS member, addressing them as a concerned fan instead.

I hope everyone will do the same, one way or another, so that the message will be sent to RBS that we are very concerned about the current state of affairs, and that we will be watching closely whatever decision they make.

Good stuff mate. That's an example for people to follow if they're not a member.

[Dadorious]

Well in Kenny thanks for this useful and informative thread.

I have emailed Richard my letter and also SOS confirming this action.

I hope we get a massive response from our fanbase and this proves key to the bank rejecting their refinance.

[RedPuppy]

Done my friend.

[redkenny]

Well in lads!

[andy5star]

great call gents. yankee bas**rds. I've sent mine anyway.

[dunlop liddell shankly]

I've sent an email to Mr Holliday. Hopefully it's enough to make him and the RBS generally see sense.

Dear Mr Holliday,



I am writing to you in a desperate plea that you or anybody else connected with the Royal Bank of Scotland do not decide to refinance the owners of my beloved Liverpool Football Club. What they are doing at to this fantastic club is tearing fans, like myself, apart. It's giving every single fan heartache because we don't know if the club has a long term future while Tom Hicks and George Gillett remain the owners but what we do know is that we don't want them running this club any more. They've ran the club for far too long and with each passing day they've run it further into the ground. So please use any influence you can to refuse to refinance them so Liverpool fans can again sleep easy at nights.



They already owe loans in excess of £400 million and it's the club that is suffering. That's not fair for the best fans in world football to have to suffer because of the incompetence of two complete idiots who have no interest in football. Refinancing them will force more debts onto the club and in the economical struggles, that's one thing we don't need.



We need rid of the American owners and you and the Royal Bank of Scotland are in a position to make that happen. It's what every Liverpool fan wants and what every Liverpool fan deserves for putting up with these owners and their lies for so long. They promised that the club wouldn't go into debt but as I've already mentioned, the debt is currently above £400 million. So please don't give them any more time to make that debt even higher.



I know that supporter groups of our club, such as Spirit Of Shankly (SOS) will be sending you messages with a similar sound to mine. They, like myself, have had enough of current owners and do not want you to even consider refinancing them. The number of emails and letters you'll receive over this will be astronomical, which shows how fed up the fans of Liverpool Football Club are. We don't see how you can refinance them again.



I, myself, am not a member of the SOS group and this letter is my own personal feelings on the situation. But any email or letter you receive over this matter could easily be mine because every Liverpool fan feels the same way. We don't want Tom Hicks or George Gillett running our club any longer so make that happen for the club and it's fans.



I hope you take this and every other letter of a similar tone seriously and I hope you take the time to reply to each letter individually rather than just a standard reply.



Yours sincerely

Billy Green

[bad boy bubby]

Brilliant - well done SOS. I have e-mailed RBS.

[LFCMau]

Email delivered!

[Pippen]

Hicks & Gillett was the fatal mistake of Liverpool which will prevent them from 80s-like glory the upcoming decade. Blame is on the Liverpool management and Perry who behaved like dummies and did fall in the "American" trap. One good thing is that Perry is gone, Rafa stayed and has even more power now. Basically someone would have to summon some Liverpool hooligans, go to Dallas with them and beat [literally] the crap out of Hicks...and even then it wouldn't be sure at all that they'll leave the club and sell.

Liverpool's case shows again that greed is no good advisor. Liverpool - with such an outstanding reputation - could have waited longer and scanned the billioniare market closer. In doing that ManCity wouldn't have his monster-owner now but Liverpool. But Perry jumped on the first best offer and got fu**ed the american way.

That will lead to ManU and Chelsea as the top 2 with a hunting bunch of 3 -> Liverpool, Arsenal, ManCity...and in 1 year ManCity should have catched ManUre.... It doesn't mean we don't have a chance to win a title in 2010, but it means our chances got lower again.

For now I have only two words that describe my feelings: DAMN SHIT.

[andylfcynwa]

I cant remember the thread that something similar to this was done ,it was a while ago, at that time I e mailed rbs and expressed my feelings , I can tell you this they dont give a fck for our thoughts ,after my initial contact with them I cancelled my account and cancelled my credit cards with them ,the trouble is what we owe them personally is small change to them .
 A while later they sent me an application form for a new card I sent it back stating again the reasons why I cancelled the original one ,I didnt recieve a reply nor did I expect one ,I suspect that all the email,s and letters we send will end up in the shredder because at the moment they are recieving from us 30 mill plus in interest thank you very much ,interest rates will rise thats a fact and when they do they will get even more ,mutt and jeff have truly fked us up  ,these are desperate times my friends and we need a fcking miracle.

[Brian78]

When holiday arrives into work Monday morning he wont be able to open his outlook account there'll be that many emails in it. Lets hope he reads them and takes them seriously.

[andylfcynwa]

But he wont read them thats the problem ,he will just get them filtered .

When holiday arrives into work Monday morning he wont be able to open his outlook account there'll be that many emails in it. Lets hope he reads them and takes them seriously.

[JD]

But he wont read them thats the problem ,he will just get them filtered .

I'm sending my letter by post.

[ayrton77]

If anyone does not have the time to write their own text, I have taken the original SOS message and changed certain parts to make it from a first person point of view.

That way, you only have to copy and paste the text, and sign your name at the bottom. I think the more mails are sent the better, regardless of whether or not the content is unique. Every little helps.

Dear Sir,

I have seen the company accounts published in the last couple of days in relation to our football club and its associated companies and it is clear that the business model operated by the current “owners” is unsustainable and quite frankly an embarrassment to you as funders of what is rapidly becoming a laughing stock in sporting and financial circles and more importantly to us as the proper custodians of a proud institution. Well, enough is enough.

I am writing to you to seek information as to Royal Bank of Scotland’s intentions relating to the refinancing of loans due from the Club and its associated companies which are due for review in July this year.

I appreciate that there are issues relating to confidentiality but I take the view that as one of the true owners of Liverpool Football Club I am entitled to know the Bank’s current intentions and views relating to any refinancing.

It is clear in the current economic climate that the Bank may have no appetite to extend funding on any basis or upon significantly different and onerous terms, and accordingly the supporters need to know where RBS stand on this issue which is quickly coming to a head.

I am aware that there are various options open to you as follows:

1. Refinancing upon the same, similar or different terms (with the attendant arrangement fees, costs etc);

2. A formal refusal to refinance on any terms leaving the current obligations needing to be immediately repaid with the threat of formal insolvency proceedings;

3. A formal but private refusal to refinance on any terms and the more likely “informal administration” seeking an exit strategy for RBS reducing expenditure and investment and seeing a medium term repayment of interest and capital;

4. Repayment of the current funding due to a third party funder being secured to replace RBS.

In any event I am entitled to know what your current and short term intentions are and what negotiations and representations are being made regarding the July deadline. I feel that RBS, should not under any circumstances, re-negotiate a re-financing package with George Gillett or Tom Hicks that would see them remain in control at Liverpool Football Club. As the true owners of Liverpool Football Club the supporters demand that our wishes and our desires should be considered by you and that desire is to see Tom Hicks and George Gillett removed from Liverpool Football Club.
Please note that I expect to receive a substantive response rather than a bland refusal to discuss the issue with me.

Thank you in advance for your cooperation,

YOUR NAME

[JD]

My letter which I will email to Mr Holliday.


Dear Mr Holliday,

I write to you with the intention of alerting you to the finance deal with Kop Football Holdings and/or Liverpool Football Club by July 24th 2009.  First and foremost I am one of the supporters of the club, or customers as you and the management may see it, and secondly I am a UK taxpayer.  I am also a shareholder in the Royal Bank of Scotland.

If you allow the renegotiation of the loan with two individuals who are dripping in debt you will be doing me a disservice as a supporter of the club, as a taxpayer and as a shareholder.

It is highly likely that renegotiation of this particular deal could have significant impact upon RBS's business - with a financial impact upon yourself as Liverpool fans will withdraw accounts, holdings and mortgages from your business and your subsidiary businesses.

Not only that but it is highly unlikely you will ever see your money returned by Kop Football Holdings.  Without any coherent business plan the football club cannot ever hope to pay off its loan - it is in fact unable to meet it's repayments alone without sinking further in to debt.

I will also be expressing my opinions on the matter to my local MP and to the Government - who control 97% of the Royal Bank of Scotland group.

On July 24th I expect RBS to ensure it's loans are repayed by Kop Football Holdings Ltd and to NOT provide any further, potentially calamitous, extension.

Yours sincerely

[JD]

If anyone does not have the time to write their own text

I am fairly sure that people feel passionately enough about the club to write a few paragraphs on a piece of paper stick it in an envelope, throw a stamp on, and stick it in the post-box.

I am sure most people on here have a spare 2 minutes in their life.

[crzy_jkr@u]

Sent. I feel quite accomplished taking a part actually. Let's hope they intervene, and grant us all what we deserve; that surely is respect.

[Fern-Ando Torres]

Email sent. Its about time the banks did something about knackers like these!!

[smigger15]

Done !!  Didnt know my MP was Robert Wareing, hope he gets battered with emails.  Fingers crossed fellow reds, this is OUR club !!

[gareth g]

Email sent, hope something is done.

[ajabkhan]

email sent. as a recent supporter and admirer of the club (since 2000), I don't consider myself a big liverpool fan, compared to you lot, but I feel this is the most I can do for the club at the moment. You'll Never Walk Alone.

[corballyred]

Why isn't there a peaceful protest arranged for the offices of Holiday, it could be arranged a couple of weeks prior to the refinacing dead line, he couldn't filter or ignore that, especially as I sure with the importance of this deal there would be a massive turnout. Media outlets could be notified, I'm sure it would get maximum publicity in the media.

[RedRoy]

Email and letter sent to Holliday.As I'm a member of RBS Iv'e also sent a letter to my local branch informing them that if the loan is refinanced, I shall terminate my account with immediate effect. I shall send the same letter once a week until refinancing time.I think that now is the correct time for even more direct action to be taken, Hopefully SOS will take the lead in this.

[philH]

Dont bank with the RBS but a letter will be winging it's way to Mr Holliday this weekend, need to get rid of these bell ends once and for all

[paulboo]

Ive just sent an e mail and my letters will be in the post first thing. Come on EVERYBODY we need to do all we can to make people stand up and take notice, dont think 'oh loads of people will already be doing it', write one yourself. Id still love to see another massive demonstration that attracts media attention though. Lets get these yanks out.

[vydex]

pffft for all the good it will do. Well I look forward to renewing my season ticket once we are in the championship oh and if anyone needs a season ticket when we are in league 1 lemme know I might be able to help.

[Dadorious]

Good shout JD I think out of all the letters sent the only ones that will get a glancing over is the ones that mention the word "shareholder".

[redsonfire]

Don't get this whole thing about how to help, as I'm not from England.

Can anyone give me the slightest clue of what can I do to get the yanks out of the club?

Thanks!!